Keeping Our Focus by Gina Sewell

The Lord woke me last night with a very powerful word. I scrambled in my sleepiness to reach the nightstand for my phone so that I could jot it on the notepad. I was sure that if I did not do so, I would forget it by morning. But I didn’t forget. That word stuck with me.

The Lord said, “Anxiety is Satan’s leverage over your life.” Whoa. I have battled anxiety my entire life. As a child, I didn’t know what was wrong with me and no one else seemed to know either. The dread of going to school was so bad that I would get physically ill. This was on a daily basis. Over the years I have gone from just feelings of nervousness to being absolutely paralyzed with fear over things.

But God tells us to cast our anxiety on him. He loves us and provides for us. But even knowing that, we are gripped with fear so often in our lives, living in this world. We must arm ourselves with scripture and meditate on it daily. This is how we fight.

Arming ourselves with scripture is our best defense against Satan’s ploys to take our focus away from Jesus. I like to choose a scripture in the mornings while doing my Bible study and meditate on it throughout the day.

Here are just a few of the scriptures that I use to arm myself when anxiety strikes.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17 NIV)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)

When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you. (Psalm 56:3 NIV)

Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22 NKJV)

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 NIV)

Gina Sewell

Gina Sewell is a mom and grandma who lives in the Dallas, Texas area, where she enjoys cooking and spending time with her family. She loves to write about Jesus and encourage others. Gina shares her journey on her website: http://www.ginabartonsewell.wordpress.com